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MMTC has moved! Here's our new contact information.
1250 Connecticut Avenue, NW, 7th Floor
Washington, DC 20036
202.261.6543
Contact Jonas Owoeye for shared space options
at 1250 Connecticut Avenue and say MMTC referred you!
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Support MMTC's Fall Fundraising Campaign and Fellows!
Learn more about the campaign here.
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What's in This Newsletter
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In this newsletter, we share with you MMTC's engagement to help close the digital divide, connect diverse communities to opportunity, and ensure diverse leadership, ownership, and workforce in technology and communications:
- MMTC Law and Policy Initiatives:
- MMTC Events and Presentations:
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MMTC CEO Maurita Coley Moderates "Black-Owned Networks: Two Titans Talk" session with Media Titans Robert L. Johnson and Byron Allen at Cynopsis Media's Big TV Conference
- Maurita Coley Speaks at Charter Communications and ACA Connects - America's Communications Association's Briefing on "Rural Broadband Solutions: How to Quickly Close the Gap"
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MMTC Joins National Black Caucus of State Legislators Webinar on "COVID-19 Education: What about Our Students?"
- MMTC News:
- MMTC Joins T-Mobile's External National Diversity and Inclusion Council
- Meet MMTC's Fall Fellows
- MMTC Talent Bank of Tech, Media, and Telecom Legal and Policy Employment Opportunities:
- MMTC Media & Telecom Brokers News:
- Radio World Interview with Jeff Chang of the Chang Media Group
- MMTC Alumni News:
- Former MMTC Fellow Belen Crisp Joins ACT | The App Association
- Former MMTC Pro Bono Attorney Sekoia Rogers Joins FCC
- MMTC Partner News:
- Comcast NBCUniversal's Xfinity Launches "Fabric of America" During Hispanic Heritage Month
- Charter Communications Relaunches Free 60-Day Spectrum Internet & WiFi Offer to Help Connect New Households With K-12 and College Students or Educators
- NCTA - The Internet & Television Association and EducationSuperHighway Launch K-12 Bridge to Broadband initiative
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MMTC Law and Policy Initiatives
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ALLvanza, MMTC, and OCA-Asian Pacific
American Advocates Convene 'The Digital Divide
in the Era of COVID-19' Event on October 14th
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Join ALLvanza, MMTC, and OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates on October 14th from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET for the first event in our Moving Underserved Communities Forward virtual event series: "The Digital Divide in the Era of COVID-19." The event kicks off with a Fireside Chat with FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel and Rosa Mendoza, Founder, President, and CEO, ALLvanza. It also includes a panel discussion with Doug Brake, Director, Broadband and Spectrum Policy, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation; Anna Gomez, Partner, Wiley Rein; Francella Ochillo, Executive Director, Next Century Cities; and Clint Odom, Executive Director, Washington Bureau, National Urban League, moderated by Maurita Coley, President and CEO, MMTC. Ken Lee, CEO, OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates, will deliver opening and closing remarks.
The Moving Underserved Communities Forward event series brings together diverse leaders to discuss technology and telecommunications policy issues facing underserved communities. Our goal is to create a venue where new ideas can blossom into programs, partnerships, or policy strategies capable of providing meaningful solutions to urgent challenges. By convening diverse thought leaders to tackle some of our toughest problems, we are ensuring policymakers have a better understanding of the issues and possible solutions, making positive change for minority communities in the U.S. and creating a nation where all people have an equal shot at the American dream.
Register for the free event here.
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MMTC and Coalition Urge FCC to Accelerate
Rural Broadband Deployment
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MMTC and a coalition of civil rights organizations submitted a letter urging the FCC to take proactive steps to further broadband deployment in rural areas by clarifying and expediting the process through which providers engage with pole owners to upgrade and build out broadband for these areas.
Read the full letter here. |
MMTC Leads Civil Rights Groups in
Submitting Section 230 Comments
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MMTC filed comments with the FCC on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act along with the Hispanic Federation, League of United Latin American Citizens, National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, National Council of Negro Women, and National Urban League.
The comments argue that "the NTIA Petition should be denied because (A) the FCC lacks the jurisdiction required to reform Section 230 as proposed in the NTIA Petition; and (B) even if the FCC had jurisdiction, implementation would (1) de-incentivize equitable and viewpoint-neutral content moderation by online platforms, (2) threaten small companies by creating a hostile regulatory environment, and (3) oppress marginalized peoples and activists by perpetuating discriminatory content moderation and hate speech. For its part, Congress should take steps to better protect users from racial and gender discrimination and hate speech online."
The comments go on to make specific recommendations, suggesting that "Platforms should not be immune from liability when they let their users create and spread discriminatory content like hate speech. Platforms should be immune from liability when they work to prevent users from creating and spreading discriminatory content like hate speech."
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MMTC and Center for Democracy & Technology-Led Coalition Oppose Online Content Policy Modernization Act, S.4632
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MMTC joined the Center for Democracy & Technology-led coalition of civil liberties and civil rights organizations in warning the Senate Judiciary Committee of voter suppression risk from the Senate Online Content Policy Modernization Act, S.4632. S.4632 would deter platforms from fact checking misleading information about voting and would interfere with social media services' ability to combat the spread of mis- and disinformation on their sites. It would narrow Section 230 so that online services would be exposed to liability if they remove content outside a limited set of categories. It would also create a new risk of liability for services that "editorialize" alongside user-generated content.
Read the full letter here.
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MMTC Events and Presentations
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MMTC CEO Maurita Coley Moderates 'Black-Owned Networks: Two Titans Talk' session with
Media Titans Robert L. Johnson and
Allen at Cynopsis Media's Big TV Conference
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MMTC President and CEO Maurita Coley moderated the "Black-Owned Networks: Two Titans Talk" panel with Robert L. Johnson, Founder and Chairman of The RLJ Companies; and Byron Allen, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Entertainment Studios on September 24, 2020. The panel focused on media ownership, social justice, and economic empowerment.
During the panel, Johnson and Allen discussed the importance of Black ownership. Johnson stated, "The problem in the Black community is that the ideas exist, the vision exists, the work ethic exists... what doesn't exist is access to capital... The definition of ownership is control. If you don't own it, you don't control it. So the idea of Black ownership is critical." Allen commented, "the talent in the Black community is enormous, if we're given the opportunity to play the game... I ended up owning 100 percent of my company because no one believed in me, and no one invested in me. What I went through for the first 30 years, no one should have to go through."
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Maurita Coley Speaks at Charter Communications
and ACA Connects - America's Communications Association's Briefing on 'Rural Broadband
Solutions: How to Quickly Close the Gap'
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On September 22, 2020, MMTC President and CEO Maurita Coley served as a panelist for Charter Communications and ACA Connects - America's Communications Association's virtual briefing on "Rural Broadband Solutions: How to Quickly Close the Gap." Her co-panelists included Vanessa Sinders and Marc Paul, Charter Communications; Brian Hurley and Matt Polka, ACA Connects; and Katie McAuliffe, Digital Liberty. The briefing was moderated by Michelle Connolly, NCTA - The Internet & Television Association.
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MMTC Joins National Black Caucus of State
Legislators A Webinar on 'COVID-19 Education:
What About Our Students?'
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On August 21, 2020, MMTC Director of Communications, Policy, and Research Marcella Gadson spoke on the National Black Congress of State Legislators' (NBCSL) webinar on "COVID-19: Education - What About Our Students?"
NBCSL President Gilda Cobb-Hunter moderated the panel, joined by panelists Fredrick C. Ingram, President, Florida Education Association, and Perry Daniel, Ed. D., Sr. Director of School Partnerships and Compliance, K12. Panelists discussed the digital divide and issues impacting school systems and our nation's most vulnerable communities as millions of students embarked on a virtual school year but many still lack the tools necessary to get online for virtual learning.
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MMTC Joins T-Mobile's External
National Diversity and Inclusion Council
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As a member of the National Diversity and Inclusion Council, MMTC is proud to partner with T-Mobile to address the topics of diversity, equity and inclusion both in the workplace and the places we live, to bring about a safer and equitable work environment and culture for all. Go here to learn more.
Learn about the members of T-Mobile's External Diversity and Inclusion Council including MMTC President and CEO Maurita Coley here.
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Meet MMTC's fall fellows:
Dawn Doughty is a third-year student at Florida International University College of Law, where she has maintained placement on the Dean's list every semester of her academic career. While attending school she also works as an Audit Director at one of the nation's largest telecommunications companies where she has been employed for the past twelve years. Dawn also has an M.B.A and is a Certified Fraud Examiner.
DeVaughn Jones is a third-year student at American University Washington College of Law. Since starting law school, DeVaughn has worked under some of the most prominent attorneys in the entertainment and technology industries. He has also researched, published, and given talks about civil rights, race and law, and the role of technology in advancing equity. He serves on the NAACP DC Branch's executive board. Upon graduation, he will work as an associate at Davis Wright Tremaine.
Adrianna Lopez-Colon is a third-year student at St. Thomas University School of Law. Adrianna applied to law school with hopes of becoming a leading advocate for minorities who have not
been able to have the same opportunities to grow and be represented in media and telecommunications.
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MMTC Talent Bank of
Tech, Media, and Telecom Legal and Policy Employment Opportunities
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Calling All Employers:
Feature Tech, Media and Telecom
Legal and Policy Positions in MMTC Newsletter
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In an effort to expand and diversify the pipeline in the tech, media, and telecom industries, MMTC will feature employment, fellowship, and intern opportunities for lawyers, policy professionals, and graduate and undergraduate students in our newsletter. Send emails to media@mmtconline.org.
Career Opportunity
Vice President & Associate General Counsel at Facebook (Menlo Park, CA & Washington, DC): You'll serve as a subject matter expert and resource for teams across the company in areas of civil rights and advise Facebook teams working on new technologies. Apply here.
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MMTC Media & Telecom Brokers News
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Radio World Interview with Jeff Chang
of the Chang Media Group
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Read Radio News article, "Keeping Sports Hot in the Age of Coronavirus" here. It features Jeff Chang. president and CEO of Chang Media Group, about his media group and sports talk radio station.
About the Author
Suzanne Gougherty serves as the Director at MMTC Broadcasting, LLC and MMTC Media & Telecom Brokers.
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 Belen Crisp, former MMTC 2019 Cathy Hughes fellow and recent graduate of American University Washington College of Law, accepted a position as a Policy Associate at ACT | The App Association.
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 Sekoia Rogers, former MMTC pro bono attorney, started a new position as an attorney advisor in the FCC Enforcement Bureau, Investigations and Hearings Division. Rogers will focus on investigating and resolving media and telecom related complaints. Prior to working at the FCC, Sekoia served as a fellow at Common Sense Media.
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Please share your updated contact information and career news with Dorrissa Griffin, MMTC Chief of Staff, at dgriffin@mmtconline.org.
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Comcast NBCUniversal's Xfinity Launches "Fabric of America" During Hispanic Heritage Month
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As a part of its Hispanic Heritage Month celebration, Comcast NBCUniversal's Xfinity launched the "Fabric of America," an online space where visitors can share their own stories of strength, resilience and inspiration in their own voices. Share your story and listen to others' stories here. Learn more about Comcast NBCUniversal's Hispanic Heritage Month celebration here.
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Charter Communications Relaunches Free
60-Day Spectrum Internet & WiFi Offer to Help
Connect New Households With K-12 and
College Students or Educators
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Charter Communications relaunched of its Remote Education Offer providing free Spectrum Internet - with speeds up to 200 Mbps in most markets - and WiFi access for 60 days to households with K-12th graders, college students and/or educators. The promotion is available for customers who live in a Spectrum market and do not currently have Spectrum Internet services. Learn more here.
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NCTA - The Internet & TV Association and
EducationSuperHighway Launch
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NCTA-The Internet & Television Association and EducationSuperHighway partnered to launch K-12 Bridge to Broadband, an initiative that connect students in low-income families and help them participate in remote learning. Read the full announcement here.
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Download, Share, and Support MMTC's
Jumpstart Tech Career and Business Guides
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MMTC created the Jumpstart Your Tech Career Guide and Jumpstart Your Tech Business Guide to support those who are looking to start or strengthen their careers and businesses in the tech industry. The MMTC Jumpstart Your Tech Career Guide provides a four-step process along with resources to help you develop and execute your tech job search strategy. The four steps include:
- Step 1: Do relevant work.
- Step 2: Listen to the buzz.
- Step 3: Start applying.
- Step 4: Identify conferences and tech weeks to attend for training, resources, information sharing, and networking.
Whether you're a student, a recent graduate, or a mid-level or seasoned professional exploring tech entrepreneurship, the MMTC Jumpstart Your Tech Business Guide provides a five-step process along with resources to help you develop and execute a strategy to launch your business. The five steps include:
- Step 1: Launch Your Tech Business
- Step 2: Fund Your Tech Business
- Step 3: Target Funders Who Support Diversity
- Step 4: Partner with Corporate Supplier Diversity Programs
- Step 5: Identify Peer Groups, Continuing Education Opportunities, Conferences and Events
Download the FREE guides and share then with your network.
- Go here to get a copy of the MMTC Jumpstart Your Tech Career Guide
- Go here to get a copy of the MMTC Jumpstart Your Tech Business Guide
Help MMTC expand the guides with a donation. Go here to donate.
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Have you seen MMTC TV yet? Go here to watch videos of MMTC's Broadband and Social Justice Summits and Access to Capital and Telecom Policy Conferences.
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MMTC's August and September Social Media
Learn more about MMTC's work by visiting our Wakelet Blog:
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Help Expand MMTC's Work in Tech, Media & Telecom!
With our nonpartisan values of diversity and inclusion, MMTC continues to pursue our work with great determination notwithstanding our modest resources. We offer our sincere appreciation for support in helping us deliver our world-class advocacy, convenings, and policy leadership in industries regulated by the Federal Communications Commission.
TO SUPPORT MMTC, YOU CAN DONATE IN TWO WAYS:
- Fellowship: Help the next generation of media and telecom lawyers and policy professionals to advocate on behalf of our nation's multicultural, women, and underserved communities by investing in the new Henry M. Rivera Fellowship. Other fellowships you are invited to support are the Cathy Hughes and Earle K. Moore fellowships.
- General: Make a donation to general support.
MMTC is recognized by the IRS under 26 U.S.C. ยง501(c)(3). All contributions are tax-deductible.
Your support makes it possible for MMTC to serve as an advocate for diversity, inclusion and equal opportunity in the nation's most important industries. Thank You!
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The Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council (MMTC) is a non-partisan, national nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and preserving equal opportunity in the tech, media, and telecom industries, and closing the digital divide. MMTC is generally recognized as the nation's leading advocate for multicultural advancement in communications. We strongly believe that the breathtaking changes in communications technology and the new global forms of media partnerships must enhance diversity in the 21st century.
About MMTC Media & Telecom Brokers
As the nation's only nonprofit media and telecom brokerage, we invest time and effort in training a new generation of media and telecom entrepreneurs. Our brokerage services have expanded to include consulting. So please think of us if you have a client or a friend looking to enter the broadcast business that needs a seasoned brokerage firm. We are dedicated to our cause of promoting diverse broadcast ownership in media, telecom, and tech.
Want to learn more about MMTC Media & Telecom Brokers? Contact Suzanne Gougherty at sgougherty@mmtconline.org or David Honig at dhonig@mmtconline.org.
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